I am a lover of medical dramas, with “Grey’s Anatomy” being the first show I truly got into, and also the one I return to whenever I want a familiar rewatch. This past spring break, I did exactly that. When I got back to campus, I was still in the mood for a medical drama, which led me to start MAX’s recent series, “The Pitt.” I quickly became absolutely obsessed with this show; I recommended it to everyone I know, and after it finished airing, I rewatched it several times. My personal love for the show was echoed at this year’s Emmys, where “The Pitt” won Outstanding Drama Series. The recognition did not stop there, as Actor Noah Wyle took home the award for Lead Actor in a Drama Series, and Katherine LaNasa earned Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. In light of its awards season success, here’s why you should be watching “The Pitt.”
The season is set in the emergency room of a Pittsburgh hospital during a 15-hour shift. The show follows many doctors and nurses, but it mainly focuses on Dr. “Robby” Robinavitch, the senior attending, working on the fifth anniversary of his mentor’s death. Each episode corresponds to one hour of the shift. By placing the show in real time, you are dropped directly into the action of the ER, making every episode feel like you are clocking in for a shift yourself.Â
Although the show is primarily plot-based, the audience is still able to connect with the medical professionals followed throughout the shift. Many of the doctors and student doctors are new to the hospital, so viewers learn alongside them, allowing for a deeper connection to their journeys. The real-time structure of the show further enhances this, as you experience the highs and lows of their day together, creating a sense of relatability. The interpersonal relationships between characters are not only seen through their conversations but also in the way they work together while treating patients. You start out knowing almost nothing about the characters’ pasts and motivations, but through each scene, you can gain an understanding of who they are. Rather than explaining everything outright, the creators let the characters reveal themselves through their reactions to the unfolding events, forcing you to figure things out on your own.
The show also addresses many important issues that are plaguing hospitals today. Throughout the season, it touches on how challenges stemming from management are often blamed on medical professionals, the violence nurses regularly face, discrimination within medicine and the implicit biases that can affect doctors’ judgment. These themes are never delivered like a PSA; instead, they are incorporated through the lived experiences and stories of the doctors, nurses and patients. Because these moments feel so true to life, the show offers a person-based understanding of the issues rather than a purely fact-based one. This is incredibly valuable because there is a difference between simply recognizing that an issue exists and seeing the reality of that issue play out. Promoting a deeper emotional connection to these topics may actually inspire viewers to want to address them.Â
While many network medical dramas today may be entertaining to watch, they are rarely praised for their quality. They can often be considered formulaic, inaccurate and pandering when it comes to their discussion of social issues. Most prestige shows like “House” have ended, and some medical dramas that were once seen as higher-quality have declined significantly after years on air. “The Pitt” feels like a bridge between the current medical drama landscape and the broader shift toward prestige that is happening throughout television. Its 15-episode season is undoubtedly longer than other prestige shows like “White Lotus” or “Severance,” with their recent seasons having 10 and 8 episodes respectively, but it is still shorter than many comparable network dramas. Beyond the episode count, the show also feels higher-quality as you watch it. Since it falls between these two spheres of television, “The Pitt” is a show that could work for anyone. It isn’t too dense for casual viewers to follow and tune in, but there is the potential for deeper analysis if you’re interested in exploring it.Â